Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Hi, I’m an almost 75 year old widow dealing with lumbar stenosis and sciatica from bulging disks. Just found out I also have central cervical stenosis. Doc wants to operate. Not going to move forward with surgery after reading hundreds of accounts of folks doing it. I’m currently doing PT for balance issues. I’m a retired clinical social worker with two Shetland Sheepdogs and a kitty. Here to get some tips on handling chronic pain.

Hello my name is Adam
I am 60 yrs old and have lived with chronic pain now for at least 25 of those years totally untreated and unmedicated.last 1.5 yrs on pain meds now but they only make it bearable most days . Now my hands are seeming to just lock up like a slow bee sting almost weird just another day and a new pain lol
Just hate complaining and Perhaps I am looking for new ideas, support ?who knows maybe I am here to support ?
Happy NewYear

I have arthritis. I also have a bad leg or hip. I like to be active and exercise but this sort of sets me back

@naninstl There is a procedure called MILD. That stands for Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression. It treats stenosis. Ask your doctor about it.

@barbarasolinski
I def understand what you’re going thru. I’m 51 and have had a TKA on both knees and also a quad tendon rupture and repair. My doctor hasn’t provided rhyme or reason. I tend to fall a ton n he is saying it’s my fault that it failed. I repeatedly told him I am fall risk. Of course he didn’t or hasn’t listened. I’m wondering why this is happening. First of all it’s a very rare occurrence and secondly the success rate of a repair I believe is less than 5% in all TKA patients.. I’m so desperate to just be able to get on the floor with my new grandbaby. I can’t do it! I just want facts . Also I continually contact my surgeon with my symptoms and he says… that’s normal. I really hope you get answers as well. This is just crazy🥹🥹

Hello

My name is Jennifer and I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia it was a long road to get the diagnosis and a even longer road to get the medicine to help with the pain.

Reading all the comments from older folks, like myself, makes me quite sad. To think that in this age of modern medicine in which we can replace a heart, yet, cannot help the millions of people in severe chronic pain. Non-invasive measures like meds usually end up just making the pain tolerable, at best. When I first went on meds back in 2017, it was quite miraculous. My pain was reduced sufficiently to allow me to get back on my bike and start cycling 20-30 miles a week. In 2018 I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted which further helped to reduce my pain. I thought that I was once again, bulletproof, so I started skiing, lifting heavy objects, crawling around on my back, and then having all my pain come flooding back. Stupid is as stupid does, In 2023 I had a pain pump implanted. In more than two years it has given me exactly one day of good relief. Yes. one day. Pain doc says he can't do anything else for me. I can't tell you how many times I have heard that over the years! I say, "You may be correct, but I will continue searching, because you don't have the time or empathy to look for me. So, pardon me if I keep on looking. You aren't quite as smart as you would lead me to believe".

I am encouraging all of you to not give up the good fight. Yes, there might not be anything more that can be done...right now. But, medicine changes, and new discoveries are always being made. I pray that one may be made that can help those of us who are enduring this awful condition... chronic pain.

Hi! My name is Steve. I am an Army veteran (West Point Class of '82). Powerlifter for 25 years. As of 8/25/25, I've had twelve spinal surgeries, including L3-S1 fusion, C4-T1 fusion, and NEVRO spinal cord stimulator (now removed). I am now 65 years old. My first surgery was after a deadlifting incident in 2011, at which time I found out that I have severe degenerative disc disease and arthritis. Suffering from severe chronic pain in my neck, low back, buttocks, sides of legs, and both feet (progressively worsening neuropathy in both). Riding a stationary bike temporarily helps the low back pain, but walking increases the pain. Taking 3 each 7.5mg Percocet, along with 3600mg Gabapentin, a day, which temporarily reduce pain from a 9/10 to a 7/10. Pain in excruciating most of the time, but it is worse when I wake up in the morning (probably a 10/10, but I hate to even suggest that!), even with a new, top-of-the-line Tempur-Pedic mattress. Not sure what else to do, but I will never give up on trying to get better! Even my Orthopedic surgeon is scratching his head at this point! I am not a crier, but even this pain has me in tears almost every morning! Any suggestions? I'll try anything at this point.

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@scampano3 …I am sorry for you and your pain. I do not have an answer but just questions as you must! Why oh why must we suffer? How wretched a dr who now does not respond! Please know I care. Do not be alone. U r NOT. Can you contact previous dr/s fir help and their medical care or reference to another? And you are a veteran and is there no contact from your past. Please search and dont give up! A close friend or a contact to talk to! Do you have any distractions? You are not alone as we sufferers care about you!

Thank you for your response, "jimiwho" (what shall I call you?)! I know I'm not alone. What's more disturbing is that, as much pain as I'm in, there seem to be people a lot younger than me who are suffering even more, if that's possible. I see my surgeon on Friday. He has been a God-send, but after this last surgery, which put me in worse condition, he doesn't have any answers. He is sending me to UCSF for a consult. I live in the SF Bay Area, so driving up to UCSF in downtown San Francisco is doable. I also plan to go to the Stanford Neuroscience Health Center to see if they have any ideas. Yes, I am a vet, and my former classmates and service mates are still in touch and very concerned that I may give up. I lost my baby brother to PTSD-related suicide, so I could not and would not do that to my loving family. I have people to talk to but very little distractions. It's just too painful to leave the house! I read, draw and bought a guitar to try to teach myself how to play it. I sincerely appreciate the response, my friend. As a US Army Airborne Ranger, I will NEVER QUIT. It's just not in my DNA. The fight is definitely getting tougher, so I posted on this site hoping someone could recommend a "miracle"!